The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has released a timeline of their investigation into a scandal involving the DWI Unit. The investigation began in August 2021 when a civilian employee first raised concerns about discrepancies in the unit’s evidence room. These discrepancies included missing money and drugs that were supposed to be used for training exercises.
Following this initial report, the APD conducted an internal investigation and found that several members of the DWI Unit were engaged in misconduct, including mishandling evidence and failing to follow proper procedures. Three officers were placed on administrative leave as a result of the investigation.
In September 2021, the APD requested assistance from the New Mexico State Police to help with the investigation. In October, an officer from the DWI Unit was arrested on charges of larceny and tampering with evidence. The officer was subsequently terminated from the department.
Further investigations revealed that there were additional discrepancies in the evidence room, leading to the seizure of body camera footage and other evidence. The APD has since implemented new policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
In a statement, Chief Harold Medina acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and vowed to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. He called the misconduct a “breach of trust” and assured the public that the APD is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
The release of the timeline comes as the APD continues to address the fallout from the scandal and work to rebuild trust with the community.
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